Alleged Mexican Mafia gangster made a deal

Ten days before his trial was to start, an Escondido gangster made a plea deal in which he admitted attempted murder and other violent acts. In exchange, eleven other felonies were dismissed.

Ulysses Ocampo, 23, expects to get 17 years when he is formally sentenced in two months.

Ocampo admitted gang allegations and that at least one of his assaults was a “hate crime” in the deal he signed this month.

In two separate incidents during February of this year, Ulysses Ocampo confronted black persons with a knife and called out a gang challenge, according to testimony.

Escondido Police gang specialist, detective Erik Witholt, stated in court that it was a couple years ago when police first started hearing that the Mexican Mafia put word out for Hispanic street gangs to stop battling each other to “focus on getting the blacks out” of their territories.

Ulysses Ocampo has been documented as a gang member since 2005, when he would have been 15 years old, Witholt said. Ocampo has the word DIABLOS tattoo’d across his chest and is a “self-admitted” gang member and is known by the gang moniker “Grumpy” according to the detective.

Ocampo’s first attack was reportedly in front of a pizza place at the corner of Rose Street and East Valley Parkway, where a group of friends were waiting for their food. The victim was stabbed in the chest with a knife or a screwdriver, but could still identify Ocampo as his attacker, from his hospital bed, in a photo lineup provided by police.

A week later, a man said he was moving into his new apartment in Escondido when he was approached by Ocampo. “He said, we don’t want no niggers in our hood” before Ocampo punched the man in his face, and then drew a knife, the victim testified.

Police officer Nicholas Rodelo, a 6-year-veteran of Escondido’s specialized Gang Enforcement Team, said he was able to chase down Ocampo after the suspect was spotted running through backyards and jumping fences the evening of February 14, 2012.

Prosecutor Cal Logan alleges four prior felony convictions for the defendant in San Diego County since 2007, these for assaults and stolen vehicles.